Intel 815 chipset - any reason not to be used yet?

[LvR]

Anybody know of a reason why one should not start using these?

------------------
Lawrence

[JoakimC]

I have been using a ABit SE6 motherboard with Intel 815E chipset for 3 weeks now. It has worked well. I can capture with my G200 Marvel. No locks up or blue stopscreens. I cant use PCI slot 1 and 5 because they share IRQ with the AGP port. When i play a DVD the movie stops halfway through. This is with NT4.

With Windows 2000 it was the same BSODs as with my ABit BX6. The beta videotools does not work well. Also the computer sometimes locks up. That because Windows 2000 puts the Marvel on the same IRQ as another card and i cant change that. I installed the ACPI version of Windows 2000. If i reinstalled with the non-ACPI version i think i would not get the lockups.

My Hollywood+,SB live,ISDN terminal adapter and Adaptec SCSI card works as they should with both NT4 and Windows 2000.

The SE6 behaves much in same way as my BX6. The marvel not being able to share IRQ. BSOD with videotools for Windows 2000. Is the same for both motherboards.

The only thing that is a new error is that the DVD movies stops halfway through under NT4(works in Windows 2000). Could be because I installed Intels busmastering IDE drivers. I dont think that is reason enough to not use the 815.

[Pertti]

The 815e is not quite up to the BX when it comes to important features, but that is due to Intel not willing to openly admit that the RamPuss is just a big mistake, therefore they had to leave something out, and add that unnecessary onboard graphics adapter.

Anyway, there is nothing better in sight at least within a year or so, and it does work surprisingly well for a new chipset.

Probably due to the max 64MB AGP apperture setting, I am having some minor problems with my CUSL2, but then again the setup is somewhat stuffed with devices

As far as stability goes, no problems whatsoever

My setup:

Motherboard: Asus CUSL2, rev1.02, bios 1001a
Prosessor: Intel PIII-700 (100MHz)
Memory: 2x128MB Micron PC100
PSU: Fortron/Source FSP300-60GT (300W)
Mouse: Logitech Pilot PS/2 (three buttons)
Monitor1: Hitachi CM752ET 19"
Monitor2: ICL Fujitsu 171V 17"

IRQ Device
0 System timer
1 Standard 101/102-Key or Microsoft Natural Keyboard
2 Programmable interrupt controller
3 IRQ Holder for PCI Steering
3 IRQ Holder for PCI Steering
4 Matrox RT2000
4 Realtek RTL8029(AS) PCI Ethernet NIC
4 IRQ Holder for PCI Steering
5 Creative SB Live! Value
5 IRQ Holder for PCI Steering
6 Standard Floppy Disk Controller
7 Symbios Logic 8100S PCI SCSI Adapter; 53C810 Device
7 IRQ Holder for PCI Steering
8 System CMOS/real time clock
9 Win95-98 Promise FastTrak100 (tm) Controller
9 Texas Instruments OHCI Compliant IEEE 1394 Host Controller
9 IRQ Holder for PCI Steering
10 Matrox Millennium II PCI
10 IRQ Holder for PCI Steering
11 Matrox Millennium G400 (Flex 3D Edition) - English
11 IRQ Holder for PCI Steering
12 PS/2 Compatible Mouse Port
13 Numeric data processor
14 Primary IDE controller (dual fifo)
14 Intel(R) 82801BA Ultra ATA Storage Controller - 244B
15 Secondary IDE controller (dual fifo)
15 Intel(R) 82801BA Ultra ATA Storage Controller - 244B

(one of the IRQ Holders at IRQ3 is for disabled SMBus controller)
I configured the IRQ:s like they were on the P2B-S, exept that now without
the SBIDE on AWE32, I was able to give the Millenium II its own IRQ at 10.

AGP - G400flex
PCI1- RT2000
PCI2- RTL8029AS NIC
PCI3- Promise FT100
PCI4- Millenium II 4MB
PCI5- SBLive 1024
PCI6- Asus PCI-SC200 (Fast SCSI-2)

PCI1 Master - Maxtor 91536U6, 15GB (ATA66)
PCI1 Slave - Maxtor DMP40 53073H6, 30GB (ATA100)
PCI2 Master - SG Barraguda ST320430A, 20GB (ATA66)
PCI2 Slave - SG Barraguda ST328040A, 28GB (ATA66)
(Above drives connected with shielded ATA66/100 cables)

Promise Ch1 Master - Maxtor 90750D6, 7.5GB (ATA33)
Promise Ch1 Slave - Maxtor 90750D6, 7.5GB (ATA33)
Promise Ch2 Master - Maxtor 90750D6, 7.5GB (ATA33)
(Above drives striped to a single array)
All the HD:s and the Promise array (apart from the 1GB FAT16 partition for
the OS) are FAT32 with 32kB cluster size.

SCSI ID4 - Pioneer DR-U16S CD
SCSI ID5 - HP 9210i CD-RW

Pertti

[RoGuE]

Impressive system Pertti, nice to see a system that packed full of equipment working well.